Fitness Checklist Reveals The Exercises You Should Be Able To Do At Different Ages

20 burpees in a row, anyone?

If you’re in your 20s, you should be able to run 5K in 30 minutes and complete 20 burpees in a row.

That’s according to a fitness checklist devised by Virgin Active, which details the exercises that will reveal if you’re fit and healthy at different ages.

The checklist follows research by the health club that suggests 32 is the age when Brits start exercising for their health rather than their looks.

In a survey of 2,000 adults, over half (58%) of Brits under 25 stated “looking good” was their number one motivator for working out.

This reduces to just 36% for those aged 35-44 and over, who prioritise activeness over abs. 

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When asked what is more important to them, over half of people between the ages of 25 and 34 (55%) claimed they’d rather look slim and toned in their holiday photos than be fit enough to run a marathon. Over 50% (52%) of women agreed with this statement, in comparison to just 39% of men.

The research also found that over 55s are also likely to spend more time working up a sweat, exercising on average 4.8 hours a week (12% higher than those under 24). In comparison, the national average is 4.3 hours a week.

The research was commissioned by Virgin Active as it launches Beyond Movement, an in-club service that gives people access to experts who help improve fitness, movement and wellbeing through a combination of Reformer Pilates, sports massage and physiotherapy.

These are the excises the programme’s creator, Tim Wright, says you should be able to complete at different ages.

In your 20s…

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:: Run 5K in 30 minutes
:: Perform 20 burpees in a row
:: Hold a full plank for one minute each side  

In your 30s…

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::  Run a mile in less than 9 minutes
::  Hold a plank for 45 seconds
::  Deadlift more than 50% of your bodyweight

In your 40s…

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:: Sprint for 60 seconds without stopping
:: 10x press ups without stopping
:: Touch your toes comfortably whilst keeping your legs straight

In your 50s…

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:: Run at a moderate pace for 60 seconds without stopping
:: 5x burpees without stopping
:: Lower yourself into a cross-legged sitting position on the floor (without using your hands) and then return to standing

In your 60s… 

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:: Regularly take more than 10,000 steps in a day
:: Perform 12 bodyweight squats without stopping
:: Touch your fingertips with one hand over your shoulder and the other behind your back  

In your 70s…

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:: Walk a mile in less than 16 minutes
::  Climb a flight of stairs with 10 steps in under 30 seconds comfortably
::  Rise to stand from a chair without using hands or arms and repeat 12+ times in 30 seconds

Six People Over 80 Giving Us Serious Fitness Goals
Sister Madonna Buder, 86(01 of06)
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Sister Madonna Buder has earned the nickname ‘The Iron Nun’ having completed more than 40 Ironman races in the past 30 years.

She completed her first Ironman race - comprising of a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike and 26.2-mile run - in 1985, aged 65.

At 75, she became the oldest woman to ever complete an Ironman triathlon and at 82, she set a world record as the oldest Ironman triathlon competitor.

She says faith, listening to her body and maintaining a positive attitude to her physical endurance have enabled her to succeed.
(credit:Nike)
Diana Green, 82(02 of06)
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Not only did Diana Green survive breast cancer, but on her 82nd birthday she ran the 2016 London Marathon to raise money for cancer research.

Speaking to HuffPost UK before the race she said: “The crowds are so wonderful, they really spur you on. I’m excited to be starting in the VIP section and spying some celebs!”

What a hero.
(credit:Diana Green)
Robert Marchand, 105(03 of06)
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French cyclist Robert Marchand, aged 105, recently set a world record on his bike covering 14.08 miles in one hour.

Afterwards he said he would've beaten his time if he hadn't missed a sign telling him he had 10 minutes left to cycle.

"Otherwise I would have gone faster, I would have posted a better time," he told Associated Press. "I'm not tired."
(credit:Jacky Naegelen / Reuters)
Jean Dawson, 100(04 of06)
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At 100 years old, Jean Dawson is still a picture of health thanks to over 30 years of dedication to yoga.

She has been bending and twisting her body almost every single week for the past three decades.

“I really enjoy doing yoga," she said. "It has really changed my life and has helped cure aches and pains.

"I use to have trouble from a slipped disc in my back but doing yoga really helped me cope with it.”
(credit:Lorne Campbell / Guzelian)
Ella Mae Colbert, 100(05 of06)
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In May 2016, Ella Mae Colbert set a new world record for the 100-meter dash, just one week after her 100th birthday.

Colbert has been running track since her school days and despite falling on her first attempt, she smashed the previous record for 100-year-old runners (which was 1 minute 17 seconds) and crossed the finish line in 46.791 seconds.
(credit:YouTube / Go Upstate)
Charles Eugster, 97(06 of06)
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Dr Charles Eugster is a bodybuilder and sprinter who has set numerous world records in his age group for races ranging from 60 meters to 400 meters.

The 97-year-old, who refers to retirement as "one of the worst things that you can do to yourself", said he got into fitness late on in life.

According to Today.com, he began serious weight training when he was 87 and didn't start running until he turned 95.

"By the time you get to 85 you may have lost about 50 percent of your muscle mass and power, so I think it's extremely important in your older age to do everything you can to build muscle," he added.
(credit:Harry Engels via Getty Images)